


The Florist and the Baker

by Mangoesaregood8



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Baking, Cute, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Flowers, Fluff, Gladnis, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2020-08-10 03:41:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20128768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mangoesaregood8/pseuds/Mangoesaregood8
Summary: Gladio has been stealing glimpses of the new baker across the street as often as he can.  He's been so distracted that Iris has picked up on her brother frequently gazing longingly out the window.  Iris manages to convince Gladio to go introduce himself, but will his nerves get the better of him?





	1. Chapter 1

“Morning Gladdy!” Iris chimed as she walked into the kitchen. Her arms were filled with bags of freshly baked pastries. 

"Morning sis." Gladio was standing in the kitchen, chopping up potatoes for breakfast. "Get anything good?"

"When have I ever gotten anything bad?" Iris dropped the bags on the counter next to Gladio, being careful to avoid the stove. “So what’s for breakfast?”

“Fried potatoes. And whatever else you brought in.” Gladio finished cutting the potatoes into smaller pieces and slid them into a heated skillet. He added some oil and tossed the bits of potatoes around the pan to coat them so they wouldn’t stick.

“I got croissants and blueberry pastries. They were fresh out of the oven when I got there, and they’re still warm.”

“Really? Let me see.”

Iris slid one of the bags closer to Gladio so he could get a better look.

Gladio reached into the bag and pulled out the first pastry he found. True to Iris’s word, the soft, flaky dough was still warm. And the smell. Gladio inhaled and smiled as the sugary sweetness of the blueberries and buttery richness from the dough filled his lungs. The scent alone was making his mouth water. Breakfast couldn’t be ready soon enough.

“Do you need help with anything?” Iris asked. She had perched herself on one of the stools by the counter.

“I think I’ve got the potatoes covered. Can you slice up the croissants?” 

“Sure!” She hopped down and pulled two of the croissants out of their bag to prepare them.

Gladio focused on the potatoes, making sure they were cooked thoroughly. He added a bit of salt, then stirred in some minced garlic. He turned down the heat so the potatoes wouldn’t burn as they absorbed the flavor, then spooned them out onto a platter once they were done. “There we go. Help yourself.”

“Thanks Gladdy.” Iris shoveled some potatoes onto a plate and sat down at their small kitchen table. It was barely big enough to accommodate the two of them, but they somehow made it work.

Gladio piled up the potatoes on his plate, then added a few slices of the croissant before joining Iris at the table. The morning sun was now pouring in through the window, bathing everything in a soft glow. Gladio watched the dust motes swirl around in the light as he bit into the croissant. “These are pretty good,” he said with a smile. 

Even after the walk back to their cottage, and the time it took Gladio to finish cooking, the croissants were still warm. Gladio took another bite, savoring the way the buttery flavor permeated through his body. The croissant was so flaky that it practically melted in his mouth. The dough wasn’t too dry or too sticky. If there was such thing as the perfect baked good, this had to be as close as one could get.

“Why don’t you tell him yourself?” Iris asked with playful smirk.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen the way you watch him through the window.” She smiled around a mouthful of potatoes. “You get that dreamy look on your face whenever you see him.”

“No I don’t.” Gladio looked away, but he could feel a blush spreading across his cheeks.

“Yes you do. You stop by the window every chance you get to try and get a better look at him. Why don’t you go across the street and talk to him yourself. He’s really nice you know. You could even bring him some flowers from the garden.”

“Wait a minute, don’t you think that’s moving a little too fast?” Gladio leaned back in his seat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I haven’t met him yet. Wouldn’t me giving him flowers come off too strong?”

“We run a flower shop. It makes sense. People trade their craft goods all the time. The jeweler down the street gave me a nice bracelet after I gave her some poppies the other week,” Iris explained. “You could bring him some white carnations, and maybe mix in some baby's breath.”

“I don’t know about that. I should probably go meet him first before I start bringing him presents,” Gladio said. “I don’t want to scare him off.”

“Then stop making excuses and go talk to him. We still have a few hours before we have to open the shop. I can handle things on my own for a while.”

“He’s probably got his hands full with the morning-.”

“Gladdy!”

“What?”

“Go over there and say hi already!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll stop by his shop after breakfast.”

Iris finished eating first and walked over to the shop to prepare their selection of flowers for the day. She arranged the flowers left over from yesterday in a different vase before going out to the gard to cut fresh ones. 

Gladio finished eating and took his time as he cleaned up. He washed both of their plates, paying special attention to any stubborn spots. He dried them thoroughly with a hand towel and put them away in the cabinet.

Iris poked her head into the kitchen. “You’re still here?”

“I was just about to walk out.”

“Have fun!” She went back to preparing the flowers she had just brought in, cutting the stems to uniform lengths before arranging them in their vases by type and color.

Gladio took a deep breath and walked outside. He was just going over to introduce himself; that couldn’t be too hard. He crossed the street and hesitated with his hand on the handle to the baker’s shop. It was still early, and people were coming and going in waves as they went about their morning shopping. Would Gladio just be an unwelcome distraction? Early morning must have been the busiest time of day for a baker. Maybe he ought to try again later. He thought it over for a minute, then shook his head. Iris wouldn’t let him in the house if he turned back now. He took another deep breath to steady himself and opened the door.

He wasn’t prepared for the barrage of smells that assaulted his senses as soon as he walked in. Rich butter, fresh cream, ripe berries, and sugary pastries all mingled in the air, forming a scent sweeter than any flower Gladio had ever grown. The smell was on a level of its own.

The baker was nowhere to be seen, so Gladio studied the baked goods in the display case in front of him. There were all sorts of bread, many of which he had never seen before. One shelf held pastries with different fruit fillings. He noticed there were fewer blueberry pastries on the shelf than the other varieties. They were pretty good. It wouldn’t surprise Gladio if they were a crowd favorite.

As Gladio was staring intently at all of the wares in front of him, a young man with dirty blond hair and glasses walked out from the kitchen in the back. His apron was already coated with a fine layer of flour. The man wiped his hands on a damp towel he kept tucked in the apron string around his waist and stepped behind the counter. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Might I help you with something?”

Gladio looked up and froze. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, stammering before he was finally able to manage “hey.”

The man behind the counter gave Gladio a warm smile. “Good morning.”

Gladio had been so used to viewing the baker from a distance through his tiny window. He had always sent Iris over whenever they needed bread, so this was the first time he was able to see the man up close. Part of him was ecstatic. The baker standing before him was more beautiful than he could put into words. This baker put many of the men on the covers of the romance novels Gladio read to shame. Part of Gladio was cursing himself for his inability to form a coherent sentence as he watched the baker’s concerned gaze wash over him.

“Aren’t you the owner of the flower shop across the street?” The baker asked. “I’ve seen you from time to time from my window, but I’ve never had a chance to stop by. I believe your sister was here a little while ago. Was your purchase not to your satisfaction?” He asked with a frown.

“What? No! I mean yes. I-” Gladio huffed and shook his head. “Everything was good. Really good. That was the best croissant I’ve ever had.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried this morning that I hadn’t used enough butter in my dough and it came out too dry. It’s good to know that’s not the case. I’m rather new to town, so I’m still trying to establish myself.”

‘ _ That’s right.’ _ Gladio thought to himself. The old baker had died last winter, and Ignis moved to their town shortly afterward. Once he heard there was no longer a bakery, he immediately set up shop. It wasn’t long before he had built up a reputation for himself. Most of the townspeople flocked to his shop early morning in hopes to get first choice of the bread and other pastries that came fresh out of the oven that morning. 

“I uh actually wanted to come over here to tell you that.” Gladio said. Why was he so nervous? Plenty of people had stopped by his own shop to tell him and Iris how happy they were with their flower arrangement. “And I wanted to introduce myself. My name’s Gladio.”

“It’s nice to meet you Gladio.” The baker held his hand out over the counter. “I am Ignis Scientia.”

Gladio took Ignis’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Ignis.” That was the first time he had heard the baker’s name. He liked how it lingered on his lips. In the market, everyone just referred to Ignis as ‘the baker.’ Even Iris hadn’t mentioned him by name.

Ignis pulled his hand back and looked up at the clock on the wall. “Is it that time already? I didn’t realize it was so late. I’m sure you have a lot you need to do to open shop. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your work.”

Gladio wanted to spend more time here, getting to know Ignis. Didn’t he just get there? He also looked up at the clock. It was quarter to nine, nearly opening time. He wanted to stay, but Ignis was right. He had responsibilities to tend to, and he didn’t want to leave all of the work to Iris. “Yeah, I probably should get going. I’ll see you later.”

“Hopefully I’ll get a chance to stop by your shop soon.”

Gladio left and closed the door with a soft smile. “I hope so too,” he whispered to himself as he walked back across the street He opened the door to his own shop and Iris was right there waiting for him.

“Woah!” Gladio nearly lost his footing as he stepped back, but managed to catch himself on the doorframe. “What are you doing?”

“I was waiting for you to get back, silly! How’d it go?” Iris was grinning from ear to ear.

“I just went over to introduce myself. I didn’t ask him to marry me.” Gladio pushed past her and walked over to the counter in their shop. He kept his back to her so she couldn’t see the blush creeping up in his cheeks.

“You never know. You might in the future.” Iris followed him and propped herself up on the counter.

“Iris!”

“What?” She shrugged with a playful smirk. “It’s true.”

Gladio sighed and rolled his eyes. “Did you get everything ready to open?”

“Yup! I just finished right before you walked in.”

“There’s change in the register?”

“Yup.”

“You added water to all of the vases?”

“Gladdy, I help you do this every morning. I know what I’m doing.”

“Alright.” Gladio popped open the register to quickly count the money, and to try to focus on something other than Ignis. He needed to focus on work.

“Well?”

“Well what?” Gladio asked without looking up from his task.

“You never answered my question.”

“What question?”

“How did it go?” She had her elbows on the counter and her chin in her hands. The playful smirk from earlier still present on her face.

“Like I said, I just went over to introduce myself.”

“Did you actually do it, or did you chicken out?”

“I didn’t chicken out. I went in, but he was in the kitchen, so I waited till he came out,” Gladio said. “I didn’t want to stay for too long. He looked pretty busy.”

“Did he say anything?”

“That he hoped he could stop by one day.”


	2. Chapter 2

Things were back to normal at the flower shop. Iris went over to the baker’s shop every morning to pick up something for breakfast, as Gladio picked flowers from their back yard to sell that day. Gladio kept the storefront spotless, but he found himself being extra thorough as he swept the floor and wiped down the counters. Ignis had said he hoped he could stop by one day and Gladio wanted to make a good first impression. A dirty store wouldn’t help with that. Ignis’s bakery was immaculate. Gladio hadn’t seen the state of the kitchen, but each display case in the front was so clean they practically shined. There wasn't a speck of dust in sight. Each cake or pastry was arranged on a platter with far better presentation than was needed for their small town. Looks didn’t matter. As long as it tasted good, the people would eat it.

Gladio was on his hands and knees one morning, scrubbing at a stubborn spot on the floor. Iris had dropped some flower petals, and accidently stepped on them before they were able to sweep them up. The deep red from the rose petals transferred into the floor, leaving a stain.

“You’ve been working on that spot for ten minutes. I don’t think it’s going to come out,” Iris said from behind the counter. She was arranging the flowers Gladio had brought in earlier. Their scent rose into the air as Iris moved them around, creating a delicate perfume that drifted through the shop.

“I almost have it.” Gladio pressed down harder on the floor with his sponge. A little elbow grease could get it out.

Iris sighed and shook her head. “He’s not going to care about one stain on the floor, you know. He probably won’t even see it.”

“Who’s not?”

“Ignis.”

After Gladio’s visit, they both started referring to Ignis by name instead of just calling him the baker. That title felt too impersonal now. “I want to make a good impression on our customers.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Yes, he was doing it mostly to impress Ignis, but their customers would appreciate a clean store too.

“We have to open in a few minutes. You can finish scrubbing the floor later,” Iris said.

Gladio looked up at the clock. Five minutes until opening. Iris was right. Besides, they risked a customer slipping and falling if he left the floor wet this close to opening. Gladio stood up and emptied the bucket out in the sink. He put the cleaning supplies away and put the open sign on the door before joining Iris behind the counter.

It wasn’t long before their first customer walked in. Gladio turned to greet them as the bell over the door frame jingled. “Welcome to Amicitia…” He trailed off. It took him a moment to recover enough to speak again. “Hey Ignis.”

“Good morning.” Ignis closed the door behind him as he stepped into the shop. “It smells lovely in here. Did you pick just finish picking the flowers?”

“Yup!” Iris chimed. “We pick our flowers every morning, so they’re always fresh.”

“Excellent.” Ignis stepped closer to the counter so he could inspect what was available for sale. 

Iris elbowed Gladio in the side.

“Oh! Did you need help finding something?” Gladio asked.

“Yes actually. My shop looks a bit plain, so I wanted an arrangement my customers could see as they walked in. Something welcoming if possible,” Ignis explained. “But I don’t want the smell to be too overpowering. Something light so it mixes well with my pastries.”

“Let’s see…” Gladio looked over the flowers as he thought. Something welcoming, but not too strong? Did Ignis just want something visually appealing, or did he want something with a deeper meaning? “Did you have a specific color in mind?”

“Not particularly. I wanted to ask your opinion on the matter,” Ignis said. “You are the expert after all.”

Iris hung back, letting Gladio handle the exchange.

“If color doesn’t matter, Canterbury bells would be a good pick. They mean gratitude.”

“The flowers have meanings?” Ignis asked.

“Yeah, they do. They have their own language,” Gladio said. “Each flower has a different meaning, so the kind of flower you give to people really matters. I mean if they don’t know the meaning it wouldn’t be that important, but if they do you could accidentally insult someone.”

“I wasn’t aware of that. I certainly don’t want to insult my customers. What was it you recommended again?”

“Canterbury bells.” Gladio pulled out a few clusters to show Ignis. The stems had purple bell-shaped flowers hanging from each side. The flowers naturally grew tall, but Gladio had trimmed them down so they would fit better inside a vase.

“These are beautiful. May I?” Ignis asked as he extended his hand. 

“Of course.” Gladio handed over the flowers.

Ignis held them gingerly, turning them over to look at each blossom from a different angle. He held the flowers closer to his face and inhaled deeply. The scent was light too, so it wouldn’t compete with his own wares. “These are perfect.” He handed the flowers back to Gladio. “How do I care for them?”

“Stick them in a vase with a bit of water, and change the water daily to help them last longer,” Gladio explained. Being around Ignis made him so nervous that it was hard to speak, but he knew the ins and outs of flowers like the back of his hand. Talking about flowers made it a lot easier.

“I’ll take them then. How much do I owe you?”

Gladio trimmed the ends of the stems again so they could better absorb water and wrapped the flowers up with paper before handing the bundle to Ignis. He rang up the purchase and Ignis was on his way back to the bakery. 

“Thank you very much for your help. I’ll be sure to take good care of these,” Ignis said.

Gladio watched Ignis’s retreating form until the blond disappeared behind the bakery door across the street. 

The town was waking up now, and the streets were soon crowded with people going about their day. People looked up at the flower shop’s sign as they passed, but no one else came in. Gladio stood by the window, watching as people walked by. He looked across the street as Ignis appeared in the bakery window. Ignis was arranging the flowers he had bought earlier in a vase, and set the vase on top one of the display cases. Gladio smiled softly then joined Iris once more behind the counter. He hadn’t expected Ignis to stop by so soon. He was hoping he would have had more time to prepare, to practice what to say, but deep down he was happy for the unexpected visit.

“Not bad Gladdy,” Iris said with a smile.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you were going to freeze up the whole time, but you did a good job.”

Gladio shrugged and looked away. “It’s easier when I have something to talk about. I’m not good at making small talk.”

“Trust me I know.” Iris chuckled. “So when are you going to ask him out?”

“Iris!”

“What?” She smirked. “I know you want to.”

“How about I start with a gift?” Gladio asked.

“I thought you said it was too soon for that?”

“Well it’s too soon to ask him out.”

“What kind of flowers are you going to bring him?”

“I don’t know.” Gladio thought it over. What flowers should he bring? He didn’t want to come off too strong, so nothing too passionate. He wanted something more innocent. Something suggesting purity, and maybe just a little bit of attraction. But what flowers could he use to portray that?

~ ~ ~ ~

Ignis visited the shop at the beginning of every week after that to replace the flowers he bought from the week before. Gladio had an easier time interacting with him after each visit. He still felt butterflies in his stomach whenever Ignis was around, but he no longer froze up when anything other than flowers was brought up. Gladio even volunteered a few mornings out of the week to pick up pastries from the bakery, much to Iris's delight. 

"Good morning." Ignis smiled as Gladio walked through the door. "How can I help you?"

"I don't know yet. Iris told me to surprise her."

"A surprise? Let's see." Ignis looked over the display case. "You get the blueberry pastries quite often, so perhaps you would like to try something else with blueberries?"

"That sounds good. What do you have?"

"Muffins for one. I just pulled them out of the oven, so they're still hot. I've also been working on a new blueberry tart. My first crust was too plain, so I've been tweaking it all week. I think I’ve finally found the perfect combination, though it would be nice to get a second opinion," Ignis said. 

"From me? But I'm not a baking expert."

"No, but you  _ are _ a regular customer, so I trust you could tell me if it is on par with the rest of my baking."

"I guess that's true." Gladio had yet to be disappointed with anything that came from Ignis's kitchen, but he wasn't sure he was qualified to be an official taste tester. 

"I could show you around the kitchen as well if you'd like. But I understand if you're too busy."

Show him around the kitchen? How many of Ignis's other customers had that privilege? "I've got some time. Is it really ok for me to be back there? I don’t want to mess anything up"

"Of course. You would be there with my permission and under my supervision. I can't imagine you would try to sabotage my work." Ignis wiped his hands on his apron before adjusting his glasses. 

"Hell no." The expletive slipped out of Gladio's mouth before he could stop it. "Why would I do something like that?" Gladio couldn't bare the thought of tampering with one of Ignis's dishes, and he doubted Ignis would ever forgive him if he did. He felt a chill in the pit of his stomach. He would be sure to keep his hands to himself. 

"Come along then." Ignis lifted the partition in the counter to let Gladio through. 

Gladio followed Ignis into the kitchen, taking in everything as he passed. The kitchen was smaller than he expected, but Ignis had made the most out of the limited space. All of the pots and pans were organized and lined up by size. The counter had dozens of baked goods sitting on racks as they cooled. Gladio couldn't tell where Ignis had been working, because there wasn't a trace of flour or any other ingredients coating the countertops. The smell of fresh treats was stronger back here. Gladio inhaled the warm scent with a smile. It reminded him of the times when his mother used to bake when he was younger. She would leave pies on the window sill to cool, and Gladio would try to sneak a bite when she wasn’t looking.

“I know it’s not much, but it works for me,” Ignis said. 

“I can tell. It’s cleaner than I thought it would be back here,” Gladio said.

“Of course I keep things clean here. I do serve food after all.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Gladio said as he shook his head. “I know baking can be pretty messy. I figured it would be a little dusty or something.”

“I pride myself in keeping a clean kitchen,” Ignis said with a smile. “Would you like to try that tart now?”

“Yeah,” Gladio said, thankful for something to do. He was comfortable cooking in a kitchen; he and Iris would alternate who made dinner every night, but baking was out of his element.

Ignis picked up the tart with a pair of tongs and placed it on a napkin and before handing it over to Gladio. “It’s still hot, so be careful.”

Gladio took the tart and took a bite. The gooey blueberry filling burned the inside of his mouth, but he didn’t care. He could tell that Ignis had tweaked the recipe, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on how. More butter? No. Was it more vanilla? No, that wasn’t it. Whatever it was, it gave the crust more flavor, but it didn’t compete with the sweet blueberry filling. The two parts blended even better together now than they had before.

Ignis waited as Gladio chewed, not realizing he was holding his breath. “How is it?”

Gladio swallowed then nodded with a smile. “It’s really good. Definitely better than the last one. But the last one was still good too,” he tacked on.

“Thank you.” Ignis returned the smile. “I thought it was a bit lacking in flavor before.”

“So what did you do to it?” Gladio asked.

“I’m sorry but I can’t reveal my secrets,” Ignis said with a chuckle. “I have to have something that leaves my customers coming back for more.”

“I know I will be. Can I get a few of those to take home too? Iris would love them.”

“Certainly.”

The bell in the town square chimed as the next hour passed.

“I should probably head back. I have to open soon and Iris is gonna wonder where I went,” Gladio said. “I don’t want her getting any ideas.”

“Ideas like what?” Ignis asked.

“Uh…” Gladio turned away as a deep blush colored his cheeks. “Nothing. You know how girls her age are,” he said with a sheepish grin.

“I’m afraid I don’t, but I’ll take your word for it.” Ignis picked up some tarts before leading Gladio to the front of the store again. “Would you like anything else?” 

“I think that’s it for today. How much do I owe you.”

Ignis waved his hand dismissively. “They’re on the house.”

“Are you sure? I can pay for them.” Gladio reached for his wallet while balancing his bag in one arm.

“Don’t worry about it. You helped me out by taste testing. Consider it payment for your assistance.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. It’s one thing to have a baker say their wares taste good, but the customers’ opinions hold more weight.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true. Thanks Ignis.”

“You’re welcome.”

Gladio hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “I really should get back, but it was nice hanging out with you. Would you… Would you want to get lunch together some time?” Ignis was friendly, but was that just because Gladio was a customer?

“I’d like that. When and where would you like to go?”

“Hm…” Gladio scratched at his chin. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I don’t know. When are you free?”

“I close in the early afternoons, and I take Sundays off.”

“Sunday sounds good to me. I’m closed too.”

“Sunday it is. Did you have a particular location in mind? I could bring something if you’d like.”

“How about we eat in my garden. You showed me your kitchen, so it’s only fair.”

“We could make it a picnic,” Ignis said. “I could bring sandwiches, or whatever else you’d like to eat.”

“Surprise me,” Gladio said with a smile. “I’m not really picky.”

“I’ll have to whip up something special then. I’ll see you on Sunday. Unless I’ll see you again before then.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow. Breakfast isn’t the same without something from your shop.”

“You flatter me.” Ignis smiled. “But I won’t keep your from your business. I wouldn’t want you to open up late on my account.”

“Oh, right. See you Ignis.”

Ignis waved as Gladio’s figure retreated from his shop.

Gladio crossed the street and set the bag down on the kitchen table.

Iris was at the stove, scrambling some eggs. “You were gone for a while. Did you finally ask him out?”

“Iris!”

“What? I didn’t see a line. What else were you doing?”

“Maybe…”

“Huh?” Iris looked up at Gladio. “Did you?”

“Sort of. We’re going to have lunch together on Sunday.”

“That’s great Gladdy!” Iris beamed at him. “I’ll be sure to take extra care of the flowers so they’ll look their best. Can’t disappoint your new boyfriend after all.”

Gladio knew there would be no end to Iris’s teasing. He shook his head and rolled his eyes playfully. He helped Iris finish fixing breakfast and they ate quickly so they could get the shop ready for the morning. Now he just had to make it through the rest of the week. Sunday couldn’t come soon enough.

**Author's Note:**

> I had the idea for this story for a while, but finally sat down to work on it. I hope you enjoyed it~


End file.
